MILLIONS of pounds are set to be spent in a bid to ease congestion at the Dartford Crossing.

The Highways Agency has set aside £25million to make improvements at the junction on the M25, which is a notorious bottleneck.

The project will see a range of civil engineering works carried out, including the demolition of toll booths, which will eventually see congestion charge style cameras brought in to speed up traffic through the crossing.

Work will also be done realigning carriageways, putting up better signs, improving kerbs, drainage, lighting, fences, gates and traffic management, as well as vehicle height and width sensors, CCTV, ramp metering, and new traffic signals and road barrier systems.

A start date for the work is yet to be finalised, but it’s part of £75million of works being carried out across the M25.

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said it hoped to get rid of the barriers by October 2014.

The spokesman said: “The Government recognises the importance of the Dartford Crossing, as a vital transport link for the national and South East economies. Improvements at the crossing are an important priority “As part of these improvements, the Highways Agency is delivering a free-flow charging arrangement at the crossing, using newer technology and road layout changes to allow the safe operation of the crossing, while removing the need for drivers to stop at a barrier.

“We are on course to deliver these improvements by October 2014.”

The agency’s main contractor, Connect Plus, will now hold a suppliers’ day on September 10, to try and find companies capable of carrying out the work.

Interested firms need to pre-register for the event by sending their details to supplieday@connectplusm25.co.uk by September 6.